Trade Watch V7 No 3 May-June 2013

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7 Tradewatch • The Official E-Newsletter of the Caribbean Export Development Agency • Vol. 7 No. 5 September - October, 2013
Tradewatch TRADE & EXPORT DEVELOPMENT
Caribbean Export Launches the
National Trade Information Networks
Caribbean Export officially launched the Belize National Trade Information
Network (N-TIN) at the Radisson Hotel, Belize on Friday, October 11, 2013.
Belize is one of six countries identified in a region wide scan of the trade
support institution landscape as being in the position to move ahead with the
establishment of a National Trade Information Network (N-TIN). The other
countries include Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Barbados,
Suriname, and Jamaica. Over the past year the Agency has conducted a series of
workshops and consultative meetings with the selected countries to introduce
the approach and methodology that will be undertaken in the formation of the
N-TINs. According to David Gomez, Manager for Trade and Export Development
at Caribbean Export, “the N-TINs are central to the delivery of enhanced trade
information services and will contribute to the establishment of mechanisms
at the regional level for similar services delivery…the process involves both data
collection and compilation and identification of services that respond to the
trade information needs of CARIFORUM exporters and the wider private sector.”
The National Trade Information Network is a collaboration between trade
and business support institutions of the named countries who have committed
to develop quality trade information within their respective country, required to
support the development of a regional trade information system managed and
implemented by Caribbean Export. The N-TINs will provide high quality, relevant
and timely information on services trade, trade and economic statistics, market
and sector briefs, tariff and non-tariff data, directory of businesses (exporter/
buyers), links to important intermediaries e.g. Trade Promotion Organisation
and Government agencies, and the structure and export performance of
national economies within the CARIFORUM region. Accurate information of
this nature is critical to any private sector business that is looking to export.
Participation of members in the network will be governed by aMemorandum
of Understanding (MOU), which outlines the areas and modalities for the
network members as it relates to the collection and dissemination of trade
information.
Each N-TINwill have an official launch that features the signing of the MOU
between the network members, and the signing of an MOU between the a
National Focal Point and Caribbean Export; as well as technical training sessions
with network members on the protocols for data collection, dissemination and
the tools required to build national business and export registries.
BELTRAIDE is the coordinator for the network in Belize and serves as the
National Focal Point signing the MOU with Caribbean Export on all matters
related to the provision of trade information services.
For more information on National Trade Information Networks contact
Sheldon Jackman, Advisor - Market Intelligence, Caribbean Export, at
Manager, Trade and Export Development David Gomez
speaking during the NTIN Launch in Belize.
COUNTRY N-TIN Members
Barbados
Barbados Coalition of Service Industries
Barbados Investment Development Corporation
Barbados National Standards Institution
Barbados Private Sector Trade Team
Barbados Statistical Service
Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards
and Quality
Small Buiness Association
Belize
Belize Agro-productive Sector Group
Belize Customs and Excise Department
Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Belize Coalition of Service Industries
Belize Poultry Association
Belize Trade and Investment Development
Services
Central Bank of Belize
Directorate of Foreign Trade
Statistical Institute of Belize
Dominican
Republic
Customs
Dominican Association of Exporters
Foreign Trade Directorate
Industrial Association of the Dominican Republic
National Free Zones Council
National Statistics Office
Jamaica
Jamaica Exporters’ Assocation
Jamaica Chamber of Commerce
Jamaica Customs Association
Jamaica Manufacturers’ Assocaition
Jamaica Promotions Corporation
Statistical Institute of Jamaica
University of Technology
Suriname Suriname Business Development Centre
Suriname Customs and Bureau of Standards
Trinidad &
Tobago
Export Trinidad & Tobago
Invest in Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Commernce
Trinidad & Tobago Customs Department
Trinidad & Tobago Manufacturers Association